The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that 62 Ghanaians have died while fighting in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, with an additional 15 citizens currently unaccounted for.
The minister disclosed these figures during a press briefing in Moscow following bilateral engagements with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Addressing journalists alongside his Russian counterpart, Minister Ablakwa emphasized that curbing the fraudulent recruitment of young Ghanaians into the conflict was a central focus of the diplomatic discussions.
“During our press conference in Moscow with Foreign Minister Lavrov after our bilateral engagement, I disclosed that an important matter to Ghana was how to stop the illegal recruitment of Ghanaian youth who are lured and end up fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war,
“Unfortunately, the number of Ghanaian deaths in Russia has gone up. 62 Ghanaians have now died and 15 who travelled to Russia remain missing.“
The Foreign Minister expressed appreciation for Moscow’s commitment to partner with Ghanaian authorities to dismantle human trafficking syndicates and put an end to the fraudulent recruitment pipelines targeting African youth.
“I welcome the pledge of the Russian Government to work with the Government of Ghana to stop the illegal enlistment of our youth,” Ablakwa noted. “The Government of Ghana will continue to lead advocacy on this matter and ensure that our youth are protected from harm’s way. This is not our war and it should not be claiming Ghanaian lives.”
Educational and Strategic Energy Cooperation
Beyond security concerns, the bilateral talks yielded critical agreements in education, nuclear energy, and global governance. Minister Ablakwa announced that the Russian government has agreed to double full educational scholarships for Ghanaian students, raising the annual quota from 120 to 240. The scholarships will prioritize critical STEM disciplines, including artificial intelligence (AI), engineering, petroleum sciences, and pharmaceuticals.
Ghana and Russia also agreed to expand collaboration on peaceful nuclear energy development, aligning with Ghana’s strategic goal to diversify its national grid by incorporating 700 MW of nuclear power alongside green transition objectives. Additionally, both nations committed to joint efforts addressing broader international issues, including counterterrorism, climate change, and United Nations reforms.
